Spring Downtown Key West

Of all the artists who have come and gone over the years I do miss the output of Captain Outrageous. He found a new life in Key West painting objects in daily use a kaleidoscope of bright colors. Key West Diary: Captain Outrageous . I saw this multicolored car on Eaton Street yesterday afternoon and it put me in mind of the late lamented middle aged financier turned painter.

St Paul's was looking good as usual highlighting the perfect South Florida sky, my favorite trio of colors, blue white and green. The Episcopal church got the best location on the island for their largest basilica in Key West, a town packed with churches. I miss being in town to hear the noon organ recitals in the church.

This next picture highlighted nothing terribly important, perhaps the bright light of summer, the long shadows of afternoon creating a striking zebra effect on Duval Street... I liked the typical Key West scooter rider and the family peering over the wall at the wild chickens in the yard at the realtor's office. Just another eighty degree afternoon in downtown Key West.

We had not been terribly impressed by the poorly written and rather trite Quartet. Which had watched Saturday afternoon at the Tropic Cinema. My wife dragged me to some flick about a woman getting screwed up by prescription drugs, as a second attempt to see something worthwhile. Through the first movie we had suffered by sitting behind a couple of old biddies who talked incessantly through the sentimental claptrap of Quartet. Side Effects directed by the ever excellent Steven Soderburgh mesmerized the audience into silence and compliance. This was a fabulous thriller filled with twists and turns preceded by a long slow introductory build up that led me into wondering what the hell it was all about. Then the remainder of the movie slowly unravelled the layers. What a great afternoon's entertainment! See it in a theater if you can.

A couple of hours later walking back up Eaton Street I looked over at the spot where this "street performer" hangs out with a dog in sunglasses and they appeared to have been vaporized, leafing behid. Their chattels on the sidewalk. I know a lot of tourists think they are cute but I dislike seeing a dog treated like a circus performer... Better that I suppose than being abandoned in a back yard for the Reston it's life with no hope of getting out of jail, or getting any attention from its owners. There are a lot of ignored dogs around.

Actually Cheyenne was one of them. I left her at home for the afternoon as its getting to be almost summer like warmth and a prolonged snooze at home seemed more in order for her, which meant it was a short downtown walk for me yesterday. The old theater building has lost its for sale sign so either it has sold and may one day become something - or not. They say is haunted whichnis also why, they say, you never see any homeless dudes dossing in the convenient covered entrance way.

Haunted or not, it's a pretty building. Yesterday was a good day as my long lost buddy Robert dropped by and dumped some early mangoes on me, catchingme by surprise in my French maid's uniform as I did some housework. Weird weather seems to be causing all sorts of unusual effects in nature. Pineapples, including mine, are fruiting early and mangoes too judging by the size and color of the ones Robert dropped off. He has lived in the Keys since 1976, watching the bicentennial fireworks from the deck of a boat, but he has never developed a taste for mangoes which I find odd. I love them.

We passed beyond the car to check the Carriage Trade quickly. I figured if the menu was out the. Te winter season was still in effect. There was no sign of a menu so I felt confident in telling my wife that wi ter in Key West is over. Therefore it must be Spring. Carriage Trade offers lunches in winter with dinners on Friday, one item, no choices, no substitutions and as such it's an appreciated and unusual offering in Key West. I'm guessing the owners are taking a vacation as their porch chairs are cleared away. I expect they will be back soon, keeping an eye on Eaton Street from their eerie.

We stopped to do some vegetable shopping at Publix in New Town on our way home. Much to everyone's amusement Key West has two Publix grocery stores since the chain moved in to occupy the building vacated by Albertsons in Key Plaza. Speculation used to suggest the new store would be devoted to organics but the stores look identical to me, and they're just half a mile apart. My wife prefers shopping at the "new" store rather than the original one in Searstown. Why? Beats me, she just likes it more.

My Conch is bigger than your Conch. Well, jeez, that's a bit personal isn't it?

 

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